Welcome to the world of the Blue Mountain Rose Theatre Company!
Dear Reader,
You’re invited to attend opening night at the 2009 Blue Mountain Rose production of
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ours is a story of love, fame, family, sorrow, and healing, set backstage at a fictional theater festival in the Arizona mountains.
“Heartwarming” ~Shakespeare & Beyond blog, Folger Shakespeare Library
“A love letter to theatre … a fantastic escape!” ~Austin Tichenor, Reduced Shakespeare Company
BlueInk Reviews gave us a starred review and highlighted Blue Mountain Rose as one of its favorites for 2025, calling it “a great summer read.”
In the News
July 25, 2025: Blue Mountain Rose was excerpted on the Shakespeare & Beyond blog at the Folger Shakespeare Library. They wrote: “Julie Hammonds’ heartwarming novel takes readers backstage at a Shakespeare festival banking on a production of Hamlet to save its fortunes.” Visit our excerpts page to read more.
Where to Buy?
Blue Mountain Rose: A Novel in Five Acts is on sale across the nation as a first edition hardcover or ebook. It’s available from your local bookstore, online retailers, and the publisher.
“This clever novel … should become a book club favorite.”
~BlueInk STARRED Review
About the Book
Blue Mountain Rose: A Novel in Five Acts is a story of love, fame, family, loss, and healing, set in a fictional theater company called the Blue Mountain Rose.
It’s the Great Recession, and director Richard Keane and company manager Kate Morales are fighting to save their beloved stage from financial ruin. When the unknown actor Peter Dunmore catches their attention with a star-worthy audition, Richard and Kate sense an opportunity. Maybe this “cross between Sir John Gielgud and the young Ken Branagh” can attract a new generation of fans with his powerful Hamlet. But Peter is haunted by a secret sorrow that could bring an end to all their dreams…
Praise for Blue Mountain Rose
“With meticulous details and singular settings, the novel Blue Mountain Rose captures the enduring and transformational power of Shakespeare’s works.” ~Read the full text from Foreword Clarion Reviews here.
“A love story about the theater, about actors, directors, stage managers, and most of all, Shakespeareans…fan fiction about the great summer Shakespeare festival that we all wish we lived next to or worked at year-round.” ~Austin Tichenor, Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast April 8, 2025
“In this clever novel, characters staging a production of Hamlet find that their lives coincidentally mirror many of the famous play’s themes. The plot’s the thing, and there’s plenty of the standard elements—romance, secrets, intrigue—to carry readers to a satisfying conclusion.” ~Read the full text from BlueInk’s STARRED review here.
“Whether you’re a Shakespeare aficionado, a theater enthusiast, or a lover of character-driven narratives, this conversation offers a compelling look into the intersections of art, community, and resilience.” ~Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp, Shakespeare Anyone? Podcast May 7, 2025
“As a 43-year member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, I really enjoyed your book.” Reader Elliot M.
About the Author
Julie Hammonds fell in love with Hamlet during a high school trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and has nurtured her passion for Shakespeare ever since. Learn more about the author or visit the Author Q&A page.
Go see a show!
This summer, Julie hopes to visit dozens of Shakespearean stages and festivals to meet readers and see plays. After each play, she’ll write a pocket play review to share what she’s seeing. Julie is on a mission to complete the canon. You can find out what that means and follow her progress (or measure your own!) on this page. Wherever you are, there is probably a Shakespeare festival performing near you this summer. Go see a show!
Julie’s Latest Blog Post!
Coming home to the Utah Shakespeare Festival
Every time I see a play at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, I’m reminded of why I love live theater. From top-notch acting to superlative production values, Utah Shakes delivers on its promise to “bring the works of Shakespeare and other storytellers to life through the Festival Experience.”
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Get in touch!
To reach out to Julie, order the book at wholesale, schedule the author for a speaking engagement, or just say hello, please contact Publicity Manager Myles Schrag, Soulstice Publishing at
marketing@soulsticepublishing.com or 928-814-8943, or visit our Contact page.
